Free DB better than Access: Mysql and PostgreSql. Check out freshmeat.net.

If you want a quick windows like ap, vb it.

But I can tell you I built a timesheet app for a 30 person company based on Apache and Perl, and I did it because when they asked for it to be based on Access it wouldn't hold up. So I moved it to mysql on NT and then mysql on linux, last week. And new apps and functionalities get requested for this intranet system which can all use past code.

The worst case scenario, I met a sysadmin for a big bank who had programmed everything in access and when he wanted to get away from Microsoft everything and go open source, it just couldn't be done without rewriting all the logic and everything. DB-agnostic, platform-agnostic, and flexible, that's Perl.

I wouldn't use compiled Perl. Probably you should consider what the company is going to be doing in the future and especially if there seem to be things that Perl is good at coming into the project in a later part of the game. I just have had experiences getting painted into corners in VB (though it has gotten better since then) while I know it is very likely I'd be able to do what I need to know if it's in Perl. 'Course how about Java?.. Move SIG!